Savannah Morning News | KELLY CHAMPLINhttp://savannahnow.com/sms/taxonomy/term/44053/
enPalm Key plans questioned by Jasepr County Councilhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-04-20/palm-key-plans-questioned-jasepr-county-council
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<p>The future of Palm Key and a proposed development district and master plan is unknown.</p>
<p>The proposal includes more than 75 new homes in the Palm Key area. </p>
<p>The problem, according to some residents, is the lack of study.</p>
<p>While Palm Key developer Judy Rigg said the property will be developed in a responsible manner with wounded veterans in mind for the new homes in conjunction with the Independence Fund — making virtually all of the new properties rental residences — current residents of Palm Key and Knowles Island are not convinced.</p>
<p>Most of the concerns brought up by residents included the lack of transportation studies and lack of medical facilities in the local area for wounded veterans, emergency services concerns, and the decrease in privacy for current residents. Other concerns included the plans for development, which include re-zoning for a possible hotel.</p>
<p>Rigg said money will be available. The proposed partner in the project, The Independence Fund, headed by Steve Danyluk, shows a year-end financial balance of $27,000 at last tax filing. </p>
<p>Another concern was about ecological feasibility, particularly with species like osprey and certain cranes that make the islands of the Lowcountry their home. Residents want ecological studies performed.</p>
<p>Some residents, though, including Marine Corps veteran Randy Carter of Knowles Island, wantt the project to move forward.</p>
<p>“We need to take care of those who are taking care of us,” Carter said. </p>
<p>The closest Veterans Administration hospitals are in Beaufort, Charleston and Augusta.</p>
<p>With more than a dozen residents making comments about the proposed development, council took no action and will wait until transportation and engineering studies are completed. </p>
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<p>Other items discussed:</p>
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<p>• The Jasper County Election Commission approached the council for permission to use the Grays Senior Citizens Building for elections. The building is larger than the current facility, and is .3 of a mile from the current polling place. The council gave provisional approval, noting that the U.S. Justice Department must still be informed of the decision.</p>
<p>• The public hearing and second reading of an ordinance to authorize the transfer of property adjacent to Turpin Park to the town of Ridgeland was approved and moves to third reading and final approval. One parcel of property was conveyed, and two parcels are permitted for beautification.</p>
<p>• A resolution authorizing a CBDG application for the Old Bailey Road sewer project was approved. The project carries a 10 percent match from the county, totaling $38,950.</p>
<p>• The 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office is requesting an increase in funding of $80,000 to fund a new position. The increase request will be heard at the next budget meeting Monday.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-04-20/palm-key-plans-questioned-jasepr-county-council#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINTechnologyThe Independence FundJudy RiggQuotationRandy CarterSouth Carolina LowcountrySteve DanylukTechnologyThe buildingtransportationUSDXMLSat, 20 Apr 2013 04:03:29 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1029193 at http://savannahnow.comHunger Free Zone feeds the countyhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-03-23/hunger-free-zone-feeds-county
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/12081162.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="186" /></div><p />
<p>Patricia Goings, along with about 15 volunteers for the Hunger Free Zone, waited patiently for people to come and receive bags of food during a recent mass food distribution. </p>
<p>Goings also brought in vendors, such as the Health Department and Coastal Carolina Hospital, to give information about health issues, such as diabetes and stroke. </p>
<p>Lowcountry Council of Governments, Access Network and Kathy Spann, who sells diabetic shoes and medical equipment for the home, were involved in the effort to get information to residents. </p>
<p>Insurance vendor Tom Allen was available to discuss Medicare and Medicaid applications and ways to save money for seniors who might be paying too much for such things as medication. </p>
<p>Bags of bread, fresh fruit, chicken, sausage, canned vegetables and items such as rice and grits, along with a four-pack of lemonade rounded out the meal that was given to each person who applied for it. There were hundreds of bags waiting to be picked up.</p>
<p>“It’s a full meal for a family,” said Caroline Smith, one of the volunteers for the group. </p>
<p>Smith said the bags being handed out were the basic ingredients for a meal, possibly more, depending on the size of the family. It was a lot of food, but Smith pointed out that because it is the mass food distribution, more food was given out.</p>
<p>“During the week, we usually give out things like bread and canned goods,” Smith said. </p>
<p>Smith said the need in the community for food is high. She said there has been a large increase in the number of people coming in, and that the group feeds up to 70 people on a regular basis.</p>
<p>“The majority of folks coming in are low income, both black and white,” Smith said. “Some come in just because it’s free food, but the majority come in because they truly are in need.”</p>
<p>While not heavily attended, there was a steady stream of people Saturday who came in to pick up the food.</p>
<p>Each person received a small square of paper as they arrived, and, at each vendor, had the paper initialed.</p>
<p>“We started doing that so that we could be sure that the people coming in were stopping to see the vendors,” Goings said. “They need the information. We have a large number of people in Jasper County with diabetes and other health problems, and we’re trying to make them aware that there is information out there that will help them.” </p>
<p>Food was not distributed to anyone who had not signed up for it and who had not seen at least three of the venders.</p>
<p>Those who came in to receive the food came from various backgrounds. Brenda McNair came to get information and to get food. A former volunteer with Hunger Free Zone, McNair said that her health had been declining, and that she has to come in for food on a regular basis. </p>
<p>“I come in all the time,” McNair said. “It helps, and being able to get information helps too. There’s always different people here who can answer my questions.”</p>
<p>She stopped to talk with Alicia Hardacher from the Health Department about her young daughter, who is pregnant with her first child. The two discussed breastfeeding as an option for feeding the baby, and the advantages that it has for the health of the child. </p>
<p>Goings said that Hunger Free Zone, which has been a part of the community for four years, accepts both monetary and food donations.</p>
<p>“We need them desperately,” Goings said. “Most pantries just give you food. We take delight in the fact that here, you can get both food and information about things that directly affect your health and well-being.”</p>
<p>The mass distribution occurs twice per year, and the group has a regular food pantry that is open Tuesday and Thursday every week from 9 a.m. through 11 a.m.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-03-23/hunger-free-zone-feeds-county#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINSocial IssuesCoastalAnatomyBrenda McNairCaroline SmithCoastal Carolina HospitalCognitive scienceCuisinefoodFoodHungerKathy SpannMedicareNeurosciencePatricia GoingsQuotationSocial IssuesTom AllenSat, 23 Mar 2013 04:11:20 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1026784 at http://savannahnow.comMarines conduct realistic exercises in Ridgelandhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-02-09/marines-conduct-realistic-exercises-ridgeland
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11964700.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="268" /></div><p />
<p>Marines and sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted training operations as part of their pre-deployment training in Ridgeland. </p>
<p>Ridgeland Fire Department Capt. Joey Rowell said training exercises such as this are not new to the county.</p>
<p>“They’ve done this several times before at different locations in the county,” Rowell said. </p>
<p>The fire department is on standby during the exercise and will call in extra staff to cover any emergencies.</p>
<p>The 26th MEU will conduct realistic urban training in Ridgeland and surrounding communities. Realistic urban training is an integral component to prepare the MEU for spring deployment.</p>
<p>2nd Lt. Gerard Farao said the training is one of the certification exercises required of Marines before being deployed into operations areas.</p>
<p>“This will be a ship-to-shore exercise, and, depending upon the scenario involved, may use wheeled military vehicles and aircraft, usually helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft,” Farao said. </p>
<p>He said no single scenario has been chosen for the exercise, landing of the aircraft at the Ridgeland Airport and rappelling from the aircraft are not out of the question.</p>
<p>“It’s all going to depend on the scenario that is chosen for these Marines,” Farao said.</p>
<p>The “tilt-rotor” aircraft are the Osprey, an aircraft that can land and take off in a vertical position, much like the Harrier fighter jet.</p>
<p>Farao said these exercises occur once or twice for each unit before deployment, and that the Marines of the 26th MEU will be dispersed after certification throughout the 5th and 6th Fleets, which are stationed in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean. </p>
<p>“There’s a lot of territory covered there, and these Marines will be joining the fleet. They need to be certified for combat readiness in any situation,” Farao said.</p>
<p>The training has been thoroughly coordinated through local, county, and state agencies and officials, including the Ridgeland police and fire departments.</p>
<p>Exercises will be conducted under the supervision of the II Marine Expeditionary Force’s Special Operations Training Group, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. </p>
<p>Residents might see and hear military vehicles and aircraft and spot Marines and sailors in uniform carrying weapons. Some exercises are also expected to take place during the night. </p>
<p>During certain exercises, audible “popping” sounds might be heard as Marines fire blank ammunition, which do not have bullets, nor pose any hazards.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-02-09/marines-conduct-realistic-exercises-ridgeland#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLIN22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit26th Marine Expeditionary Unit2nd Lt.CaptainGerard FaraoII Marine Expeditionary ForceJoey RowellMarineMarine Expeditionary UnitPerson CareerQuotationRidgeland AirportSpecial Operations CapableUnited States Marine Corps organizationSat, 09 Feb 2013 05:12:01 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1023312 at http://savannahnow.comJasper County officials hopeful for futurehttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-02-02/jasper-county-officials-hopeful-future
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11943043.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="256" /><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11943053.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="356" /><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11943065.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="287" /></div><p />
<p>Jasper County Councilman Henry Etheridge, Ridgeland Mayor Joey Malphrus and Hardeeville Mayor Bronco Bostick shared thoughts about the future at the annual State of Jasper County event. </p>
<p>“Despite the still struggling U.S. economy, 2012 was a highly successful year for the city of Hardeeville,” Bostick said. “Hardeeville welcomed 27 new businesses and construction of 155 new homes. That means that we had two new businesses per month and about three new homes a week.”</p>
<p>Bostick said Cracker Barrel, with 100 employees, and the Hilton Head Lakes clubhouse opened in 2012. New developments include the new Advanced Auto, near Cracker Barrel off of U.S. 278, a Waffle House under way near Exit 8 and a Family Dollar in downtown Hardeeville.</p>
<p>Exit 5 will soon see the opening of the WilcoHess travel plaza, which will include a gas station, convenience store, Subway and a Dairy Queen. </p>
<p>Site work for these projects has begun, along with 45 new residential lots on the Jasper County side of the Sun City Hilton Head development.</p>
<p>Bostick said 25,000 residents could located in Hardeeville within the next 10 years. </p>
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<p>Ridgeland mayor optimistic</p>
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<p>Malphrus was optimistic about Ridgeland’s future and talked about completed projects, including the sidewalk lighting between the Ridgeland school campus and Town Hall, the McDonald’s and Wendy’s streetscaping, drainage, lighting and curbing project, the paving of part of Kelmont Street., the upgrading of the Logan Street water lines and the televising and web streaming of the town meetings. </p>
<p>The town has entered into an agreement with the county to have the county collect the town’s tax bills, streamlining the town’s tax bills for residents and businesses.</p>
<p>The town’s fiscal audits show that the town’s finances are excellent, with a balanced budget and almost no remaining debt.</p>
<p>Malphrus said a number of new businesses were also welcomed into the town during the last year, including Advanced Auto Parts, and that a new gas station/convenience store will open at Exit 21 next to Wendy’s. </p>
<p>Ridgeland is pursuing grants through the U.S. Department of the Interior to preserve the Honey Hill Civil War Battle Site, which is within the town’s limits off of S.C. 336 between Ridgeland and Old House.</p>
<p>Malphrus said through the hard work of the police department and other town employees, dilapidated buildings and properties are being cleaned up. He also mentioned two ongoing town projects; the fire department expansion and the renovation of Turpin Park.</p>
<p>Malphrus hinted the town may be looking at building in the Turpin Park area, but did not give details.</p>
<p>“I don’t want to say too much until documents are signed,” said Malphrus.</p>
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<p>County chair hopeful</p>
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<p>Etheridge said the county would work with both mayors and that the county moved through the recession and is starting to see a little light.</p>
<p>“We’re finally at the end of the tunnel,” said Etheridge. </p>
<p>He credited the new programs at the detention center and fire and rescue services memorandum of agreement with Beaufort County at Sun City North for helping with the county’s surplus last year of $832,000. More than half of that money came from the detention center’s new programs.</p>
<p>Etheridge said procurement policies have benefited local contractors, keeping money in the county.</p>
<p>Site certifications have been completed at Cypress Ridge, Hardeeville Industrial Park and Ridgeland Industrial Park, giving the county new avenues for bringing businesses into the county. </p>
<p>“We still have one major impediment at all of our industrial parks,” Etheridge said, “and that’s natural gas. We’re working hard to bring natural gas to all of them.”</p>
<p>Etheridge said recreational needs are at the top of the list of improvements needed for all age groups. He said the new fishing pier and turnaround at Knowles Island are completed and urged residents to visit the area.</p>
<p>“I understand that they’re catching fish off of that fishing pier,” Etheridge said with a smile, “so you owe it to yourself to take a rod and reel with you when you go.”</p>
<p>Etheridge also said, “We’re going to try diligently to lower taxes,” noting the way to do that is to bring businesses to the area.</p>
<p>The mayors and the county chairman agreed about the county’s prospects.</p>
<p>“The two municipalities are ready to work together,” Etheridge said. “We’re willing to help anyone outside of the county, but I think that we need to concentrate on the two municipalities within the county and we’ll get a lot more done.”</p>
<p>“We’re hoping to continue things that have been going on for years, in terms of improvements and so many of us working together,” Malphrus said. “We’re all just excited about working together and of course bringing in new businesses and hopefully, as you saw with things like Turpin Park, we can make strides forward with it.”</p>
<p>“Any time we can give this kind of information to the public, as far as what’s going to happen and how we’re spending their tax money, I think it’s a great idea,” said Bostick. “I think that we need to do more of that, and on March 5, I’m going to have a meeting for the city of Hardeeville that will be similar to this. We need to educate the public about what’s happening in their government.”</p>
<p>“We’re going to make economic development happen within Jasper County,” Etheridge said.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-02-02/jasper-county-officials-hopeful-future#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINBusinessLaborLawTechnologyHardeevilleRidgelandCracker BarrelDairy QueenFamily DollarMcDonald'sWendyBronco BostickBusinessCompany Employees NumbercouncilmanGeography of the United StatesHardeeville, South CarolinaHenry EtheridgeHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaJoey MalphrusLaborLawMan Made DisastermayorPerson CareerQuotationSouth CarolinaSouth CarolinaTechnologyTown HallTransportation in the United StatesU.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Route 278Sat, 02 Feb 2013 05:06:10 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1022650 at http://savannahnow.comJasper County names Adkins 2012 employee of the yearhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-01-19/jasper-county-names-adkins-2012-employee-year
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11903253.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="421" /></div><p />
<p>Alvin Adkins has been employed by Jasper County Parks and Recreation Department for 11 years. He is park ranger at Sgt. Jasper Park in Hardeeville, a new position within the department. </p>
<p>The department itself is small, with three full-time employees. Adkins started in June and worked as park ranger and supervised other parks in the county. He took over as park ranger in September.</p>
<p>“I love dealing with people,” Adkins said. “I love dealing with kids. I’m just a people person.”</p>
<p>He said the favorite part of his job is helping people, assisting them when they need something done.</p>
<p>“Being here, so that when they come up they know I’m going to help them. That’s what this is all about,” Adkins said.</p>
<p>Adkins’ work ethic and love of helping people helped him be named the 2012 county employee of the year.</p>
<p>He has been married for 14 years. His oldest child is entering his fourth year of college, and he has younger children, 16 and 12, in school in the county. He is also a mentor to almost a dozen teen-age boys in the county, most of whom attend public schools.</p>
<p>He says being a father helps him do his job as a ranger.</p>
<p>“I know all of their schemes,” he said with a laugh. “I know all of the tricks, and they try to pull them.</p>
<p>“Sometimes you get kids coming out from the schoolhouse in the afternoon, hanging out in the park to avoid school. When they turn their head, you know they’re avoiding you, too. I have really good contacts at the school to stop them from wandering through the park during school hours.” </p>
<p>He is also a teacher, holding combination Kung Fu and karate classes when he has the opportunity and the interest from the public. He said he will begin holding self-defense classes soon.</p>
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<p>A busy man</p>
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<p>Adkins, who is almost 59, is a busy man.</p>
<p>He takes care of the park by making sure the paths are cleared for people, he cuts grass, prepares the disc golf course every day — and makes sure everyone who uses the park enjoys their experience.</p>
<p>“We’re the only ones in this area who have a disc golf course. The next closest one is in Pooler, Georgia,” said Johnny Davis, director of Jasper County’s Parks and Recreation Services Department. “We can average about 50 people per day coming in to use and enjoy this park.”</p>
<p>Davis said while camping is not offered yet in the park, Adkins said when it is, it won’t change his job description by much. He’s on call, 24 hours a day, just in case he’s needed to help a guest within the park.</p>
<p>“I go through, check on all of the paths, make sure that everything is neat and clean,” Adkins said. “I love staying on top of my game, not letting things pile up.”</p>
<p>Adkins said he was shocked to be recognized by the county for his work.</p>
<p>“It brought tears to my eyes,” said Adkins. “I wasn’t looking for that, because I’m a team player. I’ve been like that from day one. I don’t look for an award, or whatever. What I love best is making sure that everyone can see what I do, and letting my work speak for me.”</p>
<p>Adkins was given a plaque by the county — and a free weekend in Myrtle Beach — to recognize his efforts.</p>
<p>“My wife can’t wait for that,” Adkins said with a laugh.</p>
<p>Both men are looking forward to an RV park that will be coming in to the area near the park. Davis said that it would mean that primitive camping — with some basic infrastructure, such as bathrooms and running water — would possibly be available soon after the RV park was available to campers.</p>
<p>Davis said the reason he nominated Adkins for employee of the year was simple.</p>
<p>“Alvin had worked for us for years, and has always worked hard. He never waited for anyone to tell him what to do, he just did it if he saw that it needed to be done,” Davis said. “When our park ranger passed away, Alvin stepped up and took over the position on top of doing the job that he was already doing, supervising a third of the county’s parks.</p>
<p>“He’s the ultimate team player. When something dropped, he was right there to pick it up,” Davis said. “I like to tell my people that I’m giving them room to be awesome, so go and be awesome.”</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-01-19/jasper-county-names-adkins-2012-employee-year#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINBusinessHospitalityLaborLawHardeevilleAlvin AdkinsBusinessCompany Employees NumberEmployment RelationGeography of the United StatesHardeeville, South CarolinaHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaHospitalityJasper ParkJohnny DavisLaborLawPerson CareerPerson LocationQuotationRangerranger at Sgt. Jasper ParkSergeantWorkSat, 19 Jan 2013 05:03:29 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1021295 at http://savannahnow.comNew Jasper County Council members sworn inhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-01-12/new-jasper-county-council-members-sworn
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11884048.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="177" /><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11884038.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="186" /></div><p />
<p>The new year began for Jasper County Council this week with two new and one re-elected member being sworn in. Probate judge Albert “Buster” Kleckley Jr., administered the oath of office to Henry Etheridge, Barbara Clark and Tom Johnson.</p>
<p>Awards of appreciation were given to outgoing members Samuel Gregory and LeRoy Blackshear. Both thanked the citizens of Jasper County.</p>
<p>Blackshear, who spent eight years as a council member, said it had been a pleasure working with the council and the county.</p>
<p>The floor was opened for nominations for chairman and vice chairman. Etheridge was nominated as chairman, and voted into the position with councilman Theodus Drayton abstaining from the voice vote. </p>
<p>Clark was nominated for vice chair. The vote was unanimous.</p>
<p>The only business at the meeting was the second reading and ordinance to change the zoning of a piece of property at Speedway Boulevard and Alligator Alley in the Hardeeville area from Community Commercial to Rural Preservation zone. </p>
<p>The property will become an indoor gourmet mushroom farm, and will eventually support more than 30 jobs.</p>
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<p>Other items:</p>
<p>• The State of the County Breakfast will be Jan. 23 at the new Clubhouse at Hilton Head Lakes. The event, which features information about the state of business in the county and its municipalities, is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. The mayors of Ridgeland and Hardeeville will speak, as well as the County Council chairman and members of Jasper County’s Delegation will all be updating the citizens of the county on the progress being made.</p>
<p>• Jan. 29 is the lobbying day in Columbia for the County Council.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2013-01-12/new-jasper-county-council-members-sworn#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINHardeevilleAlbert "Buster" Kleckley Jr.Barbara Clarkchairmanchairman and vice chairmanCouncil membercouncilmanHardeeville, South CarolinaHenry EtheridgeHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaJudgeLeroy BlackshearNew Year's DayOath of officePerson CareerQuotationSamuel GregoryTheodus DraytonTom JohnsonSat, 12 Jan 2013 05:04:13 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1020683 at http://savannahnow.comHardeeville department make arrests in Mercy Circle incidenthttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-15/hardeeville-department-make-arrests-mercy-circle-incident
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<p>Treivon Clifton Jenkins, 19, of Ridgeland and Robert Javon Evans, 19, of Seabrook were arrested Sunday by Hardeeville police and charged with three counts of kidnapping, according to Officer Arnold Middleton.</p>
<p>A third man is wanted in connection with the home invasion at Mercy Circle Apartments in Hardeeville early Sunday morning. </p>
<p>The apartment was occupied by a man, two women and a 7-year-old child. </p>
<p>According to Middleton, Jenkins, Evans and a third suspect broke into the apartment, beat the male victim with a pistol, then held all three adults hostage while robbing them of roughly $200 and the keys to a 2007 Chevrolet Impala.</p>
<p>Middleton said the vehicle was recovered Sunday. </p>
<p>Jenkins and Evans each also each were charged with three counts of armed robbery and one charge of accessory before the fact to a felony. The third, unnamed suspect, will face kidnapping, armed robbery and grand larceny charges for the theft of the vehicle. </p>
<p>HARDEEVILLE MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER</p>
<p>Joshua Leon Brown, 23, of Hardeeville was arrested Dec. 6 by Hardeeville police and charged with attempted murder. </p>
<p>According to Lt. Steven Thomas of the HPD, the charge stems from an altercation inside La Frontera Bar &amp; Grill on Oct. 27, where witnesses said Brown cut two people inside the bar with either a broken beer bottle or a knife. Brown left the scene before police arrived, and warrants for his arrest were issued.</p>
<p>The victims, Clayton Oroum and Francisco Belez were treated for cuts and later released. </p>
<p>Brown’s first appearance in court is scheduled for February.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-15/hardeeville-department-make-arrests-mercy-circle-incident#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINWarHardeevilleArnold MiddletonArrestChevrolet ImpalaClifton JenkinsHardeeville, South CarolinaHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaHome invasionIndictmentofficerPerson AttributesPerson CareerPerson LocationQuotationRidgeland Javon EvansRobert Javon EvansTreivon Clifton JenkinsUSDWarSat, 15 Dec 2012 05:01:52 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1018401 at http://savannahnow.comJasper County resident celebrates 106th birthdayhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-01/jasper-county-resident-celebrates-106th-birthday
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11770174.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="353" /><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11770178.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="186" /></div><p />
<p>Not many people have the opportunity to celebrate a birthday surrounded by six generations of family, but Lizzie Bell Woods did just that. </p>
<p>At 106 years old, Woods is believed to be the oldest resident of Jasper County.</p>
<p>Born and raised in the Great Swamp area and having lived in Jasper County for her entire life, Woods holds to her family and her faith, believing both have a part in her long life.</p>
<p>A lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Ridgeland, Miss Woods never allowed sass from her children or grandchildren — no drinking, smoking or swearing. And while she was firm, she has also loved all of them. </p>
<p>“I love my family,” Woods said. “They are everything to me. I want them to live a long life, a happy life.”</p>
<p>Woods was surrounded by her family — from her living children, now in their 80s, to the youngest great-great-great-grandchildren — on Sunday at the Ridgeland Nursing Center, where she has lived since 2007.</p>
<p>“She moved here when she couldn’t walk anymore,” said her daughter, Mildred Sheffield. “She still makes her hats and pillows, and she still has food in her room for anyone who comes in. You can’t leave her room without taking food with you.”</p>
<p>Woods has always been known for her food. One of her nieces pointed out they used to pick blackberries by the railroad tracks just to have Woods make pies for them.</p>
<p>“They were the best pies,” she said. “We loved you then for that, and we love you now.”</p>
<p>Woods was given the gift of her great-great-great grandchildren singing a song for her, and her family enjoying a lunch and cake with her. </p>
<p>She held her latest grandchild, two-month old Aubrey, for a photo. </p>
<p>“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Woods said with a brief grin, holding the baby girl, who had the same curly hair her several-times grandmother had been noted for.</p>
<p>Woods was born Lizzie Bell Malphrus and married Marion Cleland when she was 18. Within two years, she was a widow with two children, including Sheffield and her brother, Lonnie Cleland, also of Ridgeland. A year later, Woods married Hady Roach, who fathered her two other children, Verna Mae Thomas, who now lives in Beaufort, and Ted Roach, who died of cancer.</p>
<p>After her second husband, Roach, died of cancer at age 55, a chance encounter reintroduced her to her third husband, Gregory Woods, in 1974.</p>
<p>He was in town visiting when he ran into Lizzie’s brother and asked about her. By then he was a widower, too. He was told she lived just up the street and stopped by to see her.</p>
<p>“He was my childhood sweetheart,” Woods said. “We would walk to school when we were little children and he carried my books. We got married after all those years.”</p>
<p>After he died, Woods lived alone until she was 101 and moved to the Ridgeland Nursing Facility in 2007, though she kept her home.</p>
<p>“We took turns taking care of her,” Sheffield said. “When she got to the point she couldn’t walk anymore a few years ago, she knew as well as we did that she needed more care. The nurses here have been fantastic with her.”</p>
<p>Sheffield, along with most of the family, was a nurse, and said the nurses at Ridgeland Nursing Center are taking great care of her mother.</p>
<p>Although she’s almost completely deaf now, Woods still knows what’s what and who her family is. She still creates beautiful hats that line the walls of her room, each one neatly set on ribbons that surround the mirrors and lights on her walls. She’s been known for her floral creations and her food for generations, after all.</p>
<p>Woods snuggles her grandchildren close on Sunday, smiling, knowing they’ll only remember so much of her. She’s certain, though, that she’ll always remember them.</p>
<p>“They’re my family,” she said, “and I love them.”</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-01/jasper-county-resident-celebrates-106th-birthday#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINReligionJasperAubreyFamily RelationfoodGeriatricsGregory WoodsJesus ChristLizzie Bell MalphrusLizzie Bell WoodsMildred SheffieldNursing homePerson CareerPerson RelationQuotationReligionRidgeland Nursing CenterWoodsSat, 01 Dec 2012 05:07:15 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1017232 at http://savannahnow.comHardeeville-Ridgeland Middle School teaches Thanksgiving traditionshttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-01/hardeeville-ridgeland-middle-school-teaches-thanksgiving-traditions
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11770175.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="186" /><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11770177.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="210" /></div><p>The gymnasium at Hardeeville-Ridgeland Middle School was full of students, parents and participants at Mary Tennison’s annual Thanksgiving celebration.</p>
<p>Tennison has been organizing the program every year since 2009, using students and local performers to teach Thanksgiving traditions. </p>
<p>Local native dancer Chief Johnny Running Deer performs on a regular basis with the school district.</p>
<p>“I enjoy this,” Running Deer said. “I always have students come up to me, wanting to learn how to dance these dances. I’m always willing to teach them. It keeps me moving and gets them involved in learning.”</p>
<p>Tennison said she enjoys the program, and the kids reciprocate that feeling every year.</p>
<p>“It’s always a little different, and the students are so enthusiastic about the performances,” Tennison said.</p>
<p>She said it’s the reason that she continues with the program, and looks forward to it every year.</p>
<p>The program included participants from the school drama club, the choir and individual performances in the form of praise dancers and singers. It also featured performers from the community, including singers from the school staff.</p>
http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-12-01/hardeeville-ridgeland-middle-school-teaches-thanksgiving-traditions#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINHardeevilleCDATAChiefDancerGymnasiumHardeeville, South CarolinaHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaJohnny Running DeerMary TennisonPerson AttributesPerson CareerQuotationThanksgivingThanksgivingThe gymnasiumSat, 01 Dec 2012 05:06:42 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1017231 at http://savannahnow.comCommunity gathers toys for Operation Christmas Child http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-17/community-gathers-toys-operation-christmas-child
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<p>Shoebox-sized gifts for boys and girls throughout the world — mainly to Third World countries — are being gathered for Operation Christmas Child.</p>
<p>Inside the boxes are simple items: Pencils, crayons, paper, small toys and personal hygiene items like a toothbrush and toothpaste, bars of soap and a washcloth. Each box is marked for a boy or a girl, and inside are special items for each. Hair scrunchies, a small purse, beaded bracelets for girls, most handmade. Yo-Yos, Hot Wheels and handmade wooden toys are given to boys. </p>
<p>Each box also carries information about the mission of Operation Christmas Child, which is to “demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to needy children around the world, and together with the local church worldwide, to share the Good News of Jesus Christ,” according to Samaritan’s Purse. The message is written in the language of the children who receive the boxes. </p>
<p>The boxes began coming in from Hampton, Beaufort and Jasper counties on Monday, and the donation sites, including Ridgeland Baptist Church, will accept gifts until Sunday at 5 p.m. After that, everything is taken to a shipping point in Beaufort and sent to Charlotte. </p>
<p>From there, it’s distributed through Samaritan’s Purse, a Franklin Graham charity, and sent throughout the world.</p>
<p>Samaritan’s Purse operates in more than 130 nations throughout the world, and has been working on their mission since 1993. </p>
<p>The past four years have seen a 100 percent increase in donations in the Beaufort-Jasper-Hampton region, according to Regional Coordinator Barry Malphrus. The project has a goal this year of 5.5 million gift boxes. South Carolina is looking to bring in 740,000 boxes.</p>
<p>“It’s a whopping goal, I admit,” Malphrus said. “They really have made that goal high.”</p>
<p>He’s thrilled with the increases over the last few years, though, because he sees this project as part of his life’s mission. </p>
<p>In 2001, Malphrus got involved with Operation Christmas Child after seeing a video at his church. He became the collection center coordinator for all three counties in 2003, and he looks for increases in donations every year. </p>
<p>He hasn’t been disappointed. </p>
<p>“In the video that we were shown, it explained that not only could we help those who had not even heard of Him before,” Malphrus said, “but that we were helping the poorest children in the world. I figured that I had to do something to help the poorest children in the world, and that’s what God has asked me to do. I can’t refuse to do that.”</p>
<p>Malphrus said his first year of involvement brought less than 50 boxes, but that the next year brought 150. </p>
<p>“We’ve grown every year since then, in this area. When I was helping back then, I realized that there were a lot of things that people could do, if they concentrated on it year round,” he said.</p>
<p>A dentist two years ago left packages filled with toothpaste. A family this year donated school supplies. One of the women in the Ridgeland Baptist Church, who makes aprons and other crafts, has donated both — two years ago it was aprons, this year it was small purses for girls. </p>
<p>Another church member donated handmade hair scrunchies. The men donate wood crafts and items for boys, although there are never enough boxes.</p>
<p>On Monday, Ridgeland Baptist received 612 boxes for distribution from Great Swamp Baptist. Ridgeland Baptist is looking to make up at least 620 boxes from its own membership. </p>
<p>“Our goal for this year, for the three counties, is 15,050 boxes. Last year we sent 14,196. It’s grown over 400 percent over the last 10 years,” Malphrus said. </p>
<p>Malphrus was part of the mission that traveled to the Dominican Republic. He described using a toilet that he would never sit on, and sewage running in open gutters along the streets.</p>
<p>“We ended up having to leave the village when we ran out of boxes,” he said. “It was bad. People were beating on the sides of the truck, because they wanted to receive something as simple as a shoebox full of small presents for kids. It means that much to people. It really means that much. A toothbrush and toothpaste are treasures because we have kids out there that have to share a single toothbrush with 20 other kids in orphanages.” </p>
<p>For more information, <a href="http://www.occlowcountrysc.org" title="www.occlowcountrysc.org">www.occlowcountrysc.org</a> is the local website for donation sites. The parent website for Operation Christmas Child is <a href="http://www.Samaritanspurse.org" title="www.Samaritanspurse.org">www.Samaritanspurse.org</a>. Donations can be made online, and all distribution and donation locations are also available. Donations are being accepted from 2 p.m. through 5 p.m. until Nov. 18. All donations are being shipped to Charlotte on Monday, Nov. 19.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-17/community-gathers-toys-operation-christmas-child#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINReligionSocial IssuesTechnologyCharlotteBaptist ChurchBarry MalphrusChristianityContact DetailscoordinatorFranklin GrahamJesus ChristPerson CareerPerson TravelQuotationReligionSamaritan's PurseSocial IssuesSouth CarolinaTechnologythe Good newsSat, 17 Nov 2012 05:03:55 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1016012 at http://savannahnow.comThomas running for Jasper Clerk of Courthttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-03/thomas-running-jasper-clerk-court
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11684405.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="220" /></div><p />
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<p>Kim Thomas, chairman of the Jasper County Planning Commission since 2007, is running for Jasper Clerk of Court.</p>
<p>Thomas holds an A.A. degree in CAD — Computer Aided Design — for the construction industry. When the economy took a turn for the worse in 2008, and construction firms started shutting down, she began looking for another job, and found a part-time job as a substitute teacher at Thomas Heyward Academy.</p>
<p>She found a second part-time job working for the Solicitor’s office for the 14th Judicial District.</p>
<p>“I was enjoying what I was doing,” said Thomas, “I was doing bond estreatments at the time in Beaufort and Colleton counties, and when the full-time position in the solicitor’s office opened up, I jumped at the opportunity.”</p>
<p>Thomas said she was used to dealing with the clerk’s offices in both Colleton and Beaufort counties and enjoyed being able to help people through the Solicitor’s office.</p>
<p>She said she was approached about a year ago and was asked to run as a Republican for the Clerk of Court. She said she took some time to think about it, but in the end decided it was something she wanted to do.</p>
<p>Thomas said most people who deal with the courts have no information about how they actually work — and that it can be frustrating for people.</p>
<p>“It might take all of 30 seconds to look information up, like a court date,” Thomas said, “but it’s a personal touch, a live voice, letting them know that the information is there and that they’re not lost in the system. That’s important to them.”</p>
<p>Thomas wants to bring the court process to the public.</p>
<p>“How many people truly understand how the courts work?” Thomas said. “Yes, they have a vague idea, but they should, as voters, understand where their money goes. I want to set up a program in the schools that teaches children how their system works, so that it’s not such a mystery if they’re ever involved in the courts.”</p>
<p>Thomas said the earlier people know about the courts process, the better.</p>
<p>“What I would like to do is something like a ‘clerk of the day’ program in the schools, for kids who are interested in the law. Have them come in and work side by side with the court system. How much would that help them on their way to understanding how the system works? How many attorneys, how many judges would come from a program like that in Jasper County?” asked Thomas.</p>
<p>“The whole court system is something that most people have no knowledge of, on a day-to-day basis, and it’s a system that’s many-faceted,” Thomas said. </p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-03/thomas-running-jasper-clerk-court#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINLaborCADCDATAchairmanClerkCourt clerkKim ThomasLaborLaw in the United KingdomLegal professionsPerson CareerPerson EducationQuotationsolicitorteacher at Thomas Heyward AcademyUN CourtSat, 03 Nov 2012 04:05:19 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1014789 at http://savannahnow.comJasper voters prepare for Election Dayhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-03/jasper-voters-prepare-election-day
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<p>Voters will head to the polls from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. </p>
<p>There are several local races of interest, including the sheriff’s race.</p>
<p>Jasper County Sheriff Gregory Jenkins, Democrat, thinks it is critical to get information to and from the public, starting with the youngest citizens and the School Resource Officers. Working to keep senior citizens informed of crimes and scams is important. Keefe Blatchley, an independent, is running against Jenkins. </p>
<p>“Everyone needs to get out and vote to make the changes in this county that we need to make,” Blatchley said. “A lot of people are upset about crime rates. I want to serve and protect the county where I grew up.”</p>
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<p>County Council</p>
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<p>Jasper County Council seats are also up for grabs after a year that has seen taxes increased by an average of 30 percent on personal property — homes and vehicles — to help pay for more than $75 million in county debt. That amount includes roughly $55 million as the cost to build schools in Ridgeland and Hardeeville. </p>
<p>Democrat Tom Johnson and Republican Joseph E. Brown III are running for an at-large seat currently held by Samuel Gregory. </p>
<p>Johnson said he is running to facilitate the progress and growth of the county and looks toward lowering taxes and increasing opportunities by commercial economic development, including the port. Brown said the only way the county can become competitive is to reduce taxes and grow the tax base, which will benefit the present and future prospects for economic and school system development. He proposes a thorough line-by-line analysis of the county budget to guard against wasteful spending.</p>
<p>Democratic Councilman Henry Etheridge is running unopposed for a second term in the Pocotaligo seat.</p>
<p>LeRoy Blackshear is not running for re-election, and there are two candidates competing for the Hardeeville Township seat: Joseph Arzillo, a Republican and Barbara B. Clark, a Democrat.</p>
<p>Arzillo has said education, taxes and bringing economic development and dealing with the county’s fiscal state in an intelligent manner are the only way to make the positive changes the county needs. The son of Hardeeville City Council member Sal Arzillo, he owns a towing and repair shop in Hardeeville.</p>
<p>Clark, a member of the Jasper County School Board, said taxes are her top priority. </p>
<p>“We must find a way to give the people of the county tax relief,” Clark said. “We need to be more responsible with the taxpayer’s money. That means starting with cutting unnecessary spending and that includes cutting unnecessary positions.”</p>
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<p>Clerk of Court</p>
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<p>The Clerk of Court race is between incumbent Margaret Bostick and Kim Thomas, a Republican. </p>
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<p>Probate judge, school board, Senate</p>
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<p>The Probate Judge seat is also up for election, with incumbent Brenda Horton, a Republican, facing Albert “Buster” Kleckley, a Democrat. </p>
<p>Horton said since her appointment to the probate judge office last fall, the office has become more customer-friendly. “We’ve come a long way,” Horton said. “We’ll have the office online at the end of November, we’re doing marriage licenses again and we’re making it easier for people to do business with our office. I have an open door policy, and we’re making this office work for the residents again.”</p>
<p>“I’m excited about these elections,” Kleckley said. “There’s been an overwhelming amount of support for us out there, and I’m looking forward to be able to help navigate people through the probate process.”</p>
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<p>Jasper School <br />Board seats</br></p>
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<p>There are four school board seats up for grabs — Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8. Randy Horton — District 4 — is the only candidate on the ballot. Myra Collins’ name is on the ballot, but she dropped out of the race and votes for her will not count.</p>
<p>Four others have campaigned as write-in candidates. Alicia Crosby has campaigned as a write-in for District 2, Joanna Cardwell is campaigning as a write-in for District 8, as is Barbara Poon and Tedd Moyd.</p>
<p>“The write-in is just a matter of the people at the poll,” Donald Sheftall, Jasper County election commission chair recently said. “Once the voter gets down to the school board district voting portion, it will ask to type in the write in candidate’s name because no one’s name is going to be listed there.”</p>
<p>Sen. Clementa Pinckney is facing opposition for his District 45 seat with Leilani Bessinger of Beaufort. Bessinger, who is a paralegal and small farm owner, thinks Pinckney is not doing enough for his county’s constituents.</p>
<p>“I am willing to find solutions and work toward making those solutions a reality,” Bessinger said. “I have worked hard every single day since I filed to run. If I am not willing to work to attain this honor, how can I expect anyone to trust that I will work hard for them in Columbia. We need a worker, not a sometimer in Columbia.” </p>
<p>All Jasper County precinct voters will be able to vote for the County Council seats. </p>
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<p>Voting is Tuesday Nov. 6 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Voters must present identification, either a driver’s license or voter’s registration card, at the polling precinct. If you are unsure of your precinct, check your voter registration card or call 726-7709. </p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-11-03/jasper-voters-prepare-election-day#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINBusinessTechnologyHardeevilleHardeeville CityHardeeville TownshipBarbara B. ClarkBrenda HortonBusinessContact DetailsCouncil membercouncilmanCounty sheriffGregory JenkinsguardHardeeville, South CarolinaHenry EtheridgeHilton Head Island-Beaufort micropolitan areaJoseph ArzilloJoseph E. Brown IIILeilani BessingerLeroy BlackshearPerson CareerPerson PartyQuotationSamuel GregorysheriffTechnologyTom JohnsonUSDWrite-in candidateSat, 03 Nov 2012 04:00:12 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1014780 at http://savannahnow.comJasper County will randomly drug test employeeshttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-27/jasper-county-will-randomly-drug-test-employees
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<p>Jasper County Council unanimously approved a resolution that would allow the county to perform random drug tests on its employees and would be a part of the employment policy for the county.</p>
<p>The proposal was presented by County Administrator Andrew Fulghum to adopt a list of positions designated as “safety sensitive” that would be subjected to the drug screens.</p>
<p>Random drug testing will be implemented for detention center employees, emergency services, public works, which includes building maintenance and road crews, and Fulghum said the sheriff’s office has volunteered to allow for testing.</p>
<p>Fulghum said he’d volunteer in the testing and he’d like to eventually have all county employees be available for drug testing. </p>
<p>Fulghum said not listing safety sensitive positions had been an oversight when the personnel policy was recently updated.</p>
<p>“You’re saying that if we pass this, random testing can be done at any time,” council chair Samuel Gregory said. “So those of you that are here, that are county employees, be careful, because if we pass this, they can come to do it to you at any time, that’s what Andy’s trying to get passed here tonight.”</p>
<p>“Mr. Chairman, you said that any personnel here needs to be careful,” Councilman Theo Drayton said. “They don’t need to be careful, they need to not use the items that we’re checking for. They need to be free of drugs completely. They don’t have to be careful, just don’t use them.”</p>
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<p>Catholic school moves forward</p>
<p>Jon Rembold, project manager with the engineering firm Ward Edwards, gave a construction update about the John Paul II Catholic School. It will be built on 30 acres on the east side of S.C. 170 near the Beaufort-Jasper Academy for Career Excellence. It will be visible from S.C. 462, but access will not be available from that highway. </p>
<p>The permitting process is under way for the first phase, and the group plans to begin site work as soon as the permits are in place. It is expected that the school will be open for the 2013-2014 school year, and will host grades 7-9 the first year, adding a grade every year. The total size of the campus will eventually be 70 acres and will host grades 7-12 when completed.</p>
<p>According to its website, the school expects to have at least 120 students its first year and 250 by Year five.</p>
<p>The school will serve students from across the state and picked Jasper County because of available acreage, frontage on the highway and because it is in the geographic center of the region that the school will serve.</p>
<p>“I would like to say that I definitely support this endeavor,” Councilman Martin Sauls said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to enhance the educational opportunities for not only the people of Jasper County but for the entire Lowcountry. I’m very excited that this group is looking to invest a large sum of money in Jasper County and give us another avenue for education.”</p>
<p>The first reading of the ordinance allowing the construction of the school was read and unanimously approved to move forward to a second reading. </p>
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<p>Other items:</p>
<p>• Fulghum received word that Joint Project Office for the Jasper Ocean Terminal was approved for funding and that the $1 million capacity study was approved, moving the port forward another step.</p>
<p>• First reading of the ordinance to adopt the county’s solid waste plan by title only was approved and moves to second reading. Information about the plan was presented at the beginning of the meeting by Rudy Curtis.</p>
<p>• Appointments to the library board were presented by Beth McNeer and approved by the council.</p>
<p>• Approval was given for the bid from Murray Sand for crusher run and Plantation gravel mix for the Sgt. Jasper Park trail. The bid for $13,436.28 was explained to the council.</p>
<p>• Cypress Ridge Site Certification renewal was approved.</p>
<p>• The bids for the Fire Tower Road fire station went to the state last week.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-27/jasper-county-will-randomly-drug-test-employees#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINBusinessLaborLawTechnologyCountyadministratorAndrew FulghumBusinessCDATAchairchairmancouncilmanDopingDrug control lawDrug testEmploymentforwardJon RemboldLaborLawMan Made DisasterPerson Careerproject managerQuotationSamuel GregorySciencesheriffSouth CarolinaTechnologyTestsTheo DraytonSat, 27 Oct 2012 04:04:59 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1014196 at http://savannahnow.comMethod of voting for County Council on the ballothttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-20/method-voting-county-council-ballot
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<p>Jasper County residents will vote Nov. 6 whether or not to change the way members of County Council are elected.</p>
<p>County attorney Marvin Jones said currently council members must reside in specific zones, but are elected countywide. This referendum would change that, with each zone electing a single council member rather than electing officials across the county.</p>
<p>The actual ballot will read:</p>
<p>Vote for one of the following:</p>
<p>• Change the method of election of Jasper County Council to single-member districts.</p>
<p>• Retain the existing method of election of Jasper County Council of at-large members.</p>
<p>Two options will be presented below the questions: “Change” or “Retain.”</p>
<p>There is no explanation of what this will mean for the voters presented on the ballot — no definitions of “at-large” or “single-member districts.”</p>
<p>Jasper County has had at-large voting since 1912, the birth of the county, meaning all voters in the county can vote for any of the council members who are on the ballot, regardless of the district they live in.</p>
<p>With single-member districts, the county would designate districts and a council member would represent one district specifically rather than representing the county as a whole.</p>
<p>The election-day questions is, does the county want to be represented by one person, who is voted into office by voters just in that specific district or do voters want to continue to vote for all of the council members across the county? </p>
<p>The vote could impact how the county is governed. Voters will consider if a single-member system will change the way the county is represented. Will council members choose between what is good for their particular district or for the entire county?</p>
<p>Jones said the change was requested by the council, but the results of changing to single-member districts are unknown. </p>
<p>“The effect, presumably, would be that each council member would be more responsive to their elected zones, because they’re elected from their zones rather than being elected county wide,” Jones said. </p>
<p>Will this create issues down the road as far as being more concerned with what the member’s zone is looking at, rather than looking at issues for the entire county?</p>
<p>“It takes away the county-wide perspective,” Jones said. “I don’t know which is better.”</p>
<p>Jones said there are pros and cons to both systems, but the council thought single-member districts would be better. </p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-20/method-voting-county-council-ballot#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINAttorneyCouncil memberElectionsElectoral systemsGovernment of Saginaw, MichiganIssues affecting the Single Transferable VoteMarvin JonesPerson CareerQuotationSingle Transferable VoteSat, 20 Oct 2012 04:03:25 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1013584 at http://savannahnow.comGovernor Haley talks port in Ridgelandhttp://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-13/governor-haley-talks-port-ridgeland
<div><img src="http://sav-cdn.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/11624795.jpg" alt="" title="" class="imagecache imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb imagecache-default imagecache-story_slideshow_thumb_default" width="280" height="186" /></div></p>
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<p>Gov. Nikki Haley attended the special executive session meeting of the Jasper County Council on Oct. 3, which served as an update on the the Jasper Ocean Terminal’s progress.</p>
<p>“Jasper County is just a treasure in the state,” Haley said.</p>
<p>Amid questions of whether Charleston’s port would be affected by the proposed deepening of Savannah harbor — and years of political maneuvering by state officials — the Jasper port began to look like a pipe-dream to many residents, its promise of employment and growth out of reach.</p>
<p>Not so, according to county administrator Andrew Fulghum. </p>
<p>“Yes, it’s ongoing. It’s moving forward,” Fulghum said.</p>
<p>The engineering firm Moffatt &amp; Nichol provided the council and various officials, including Haley, State Sen. Clementa Pinckney and members of the South Carolina Historical Society, with updated information on the port and the engineering involved in building it. The Beaufort Jasper Water Sewer Authority presented information about water appropriation issues in the Savannah River.</p>
<p>Fulghum said the Jasper Ocean Terminal project is moving through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process now.</p>
<p>That process is described by the South Carolina government as directing “federal agencies to prepare a detailed statement of the environmental impacts of any major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.”</p>
<p>The statements are usually known as Environmental Assessments (EA) or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS). The “human environment” has many aspects, including what NEPA terms “cultural resources.”</p>
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<p>Ships must be dealt with</p>
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<p>Under NEPA, cultural resources include historic properties as defined by the National Historic Preservation Act.</p>
<p>One of those historic properties is the C.S.S. Savannah — an ironclad ship that was run aground by its crew on the South Carolina side of the river and put to the torch by Confederate forces in advance of Sherman’s March in December of 1864.</p>
<p>The ship’s presence doesn’t necessarily mean that the port project is on hold, though, particularly if it is out of the shipping channel and away from the actual port location.</p>
<p>A second ship, the C.S.S. Georgia, lies within feet of Savannah’s proposed dredge channel. The Georgia State Historical Society is making plans to bring the ship up to prevent damage by the dredging project.</p>
<p>The project is not contingent on whether Savannah deepens its shipping channel — and the dredge spoils from the deepening are not necessary to build the Jasper Ocean Terminal. The spoils would, however, reduce the cost of construction for the new port.</p>
<p>“If the dredging takes place, it could potentially be tremendously financially beneficial to this project, and it makes good financial sense, but (the terminal and Savannah’s dredging) are really two separate projects,” Fulghum said.</p>
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<p>Governor in ‘full support’</p>
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<p>“The governor is in full support of the port, for it to become a reality in Jasper County,” council chairman Samuel Gregory said. “We were overwhelmed today, just to see and to hear both sides, and it seems like now they’re going to push for the port to come to Jasper County.”</p>
<p>Gregory said that Haley said she wants to see an end to the paperwork and the beginning of construction on the port. </p>
<p>“I think what she’s saying is that it’s not about just Charleston, and it’s not about just Georgia, because she’s working for the state of South Carolina,” Gregory said, noting that includes the people of Jasper County. </p>
<p>He feels that the overflow from the Savannah and Charleston ports will benefit Jasper’s port, and will bring more business to the state.</p>
<p>“I think that the fact that the governor took the time to come to Jasper, that she took the time to come here and listen to the presentation, that was great. She kept her promise to come here and meet with us, and said that she’ll be back to visit us again,” Gregory said.</p>
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http://savannahnow.com/hardeeville/2012-10-13/governor-haley-talks-port-ridgeland#commentsHardeevilleKELLY CHAMPLINadministratorAndrew FulghumCharleston's portCharleston, South CarolinaClementa PinckneyExecutiveforwardGeography of GeorgiaGeography of the United StatesGeorgiaGeorgiaGovernorJasper Ocean TerminalJasper portMajorNikki HaleyNikki HaleyPerson CareerQuotationSamuel GregorySavannah HarborSavannah metropolitan areaSavannah RiverSavannah, GeorgiaSouth CarolinaSat, 13 Oct 2012 04:05:03 +0000KELLY CHAMPLIN1012950 at http://savannahnow.com